The present invention is directed to carbonizing a liquid, such as tap water, with CO2.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
Carbonization can be achieved through addition of CO2 to a liquid, such as tap water. The tap water pressure is increased by using at least one pump which increases the liquid pressure and the pressurized liquid is then pressed at a high-pressure into a so-called carbonator tank or vessel. However, both the pressure of the liquid and the pressure increase inside the carbonator tank increase. Such type of carbonization is primarily used in the dispensing equipment industry, for beverage dispensing fountains and post-mix systems.
This type of carbonization with a carbonator tank is employed, for example, in above-counter systems with integrated cooling for tap water and syrup, in below-counter systems with cooling for tap water and syrups, as well as in closed-loop carbonator systems.
The so-called closed-loop carbonators are also employed in conjunction with a device referred to by the technical term python. The python is used for connecting, for example, syrup lines and gas lines as well as a still (supply) water line and also a carbonizing line. These lines are bundled and thermally insulated from the carbonator to the fountain. In this type of application, tap water and CO2 is carbonized by using a pressurizing pump inside a carbonator tank, wherein the carbonized water is then fed to a closed-loop system. In a closed-loop system, the carbonized water is always kept in motion in the direction of the fountains with the assistance of a closed-loop pump, and always runs through a cooler for the liquids for maintaining the carbonized water at an ideal dispensing temperature for producing post-mix beverages. These systems utilize two pumps, one pressurizing pump for carbonizing and a closed-loop pump for keeping the carbonizing water in circulation. One of these pumps can also operate a closed-loop still water circulation, i.e., for circulating tap water in a closed-loop that is not enriched during circulation. The closed-loop still water circulation is primarily used for cooling syrup or for mixing carbonized water with still water or for maintaining a closed-loop circulation for carbonized liquids.
The used pumps in the afore-described systems are mainly displacement pumps, such as those sold by the company Maprotec, which are made of a brass housing or a VA steel housing. This type of pumps is predominantly used as pressurizing pump for water in order to fill, for example, a carbonator tank with water in the feed region. One of the pumps is frequently mounted on the tank, which produces a backpressure to the pump. This backpressure causes the pump to maintain the pressure, because the pump cannot displace the supplied water quantity, by producing a pressure increase inside the pump housing, because water cannot be compressed; the space between static component and mechanical parts of the pump in the interior experiences a pressure increase, so that the pump can displace the supplied water quantity for, for example, filling one or more carbonator tanks.
The injected water is simultaneously added together with—preferably—CO2 during water injection, and at least one fountain is provided with the carbonized liquids, whereby the carbonized liquid can be withdrawn or at least a post-mixed drink can be produced. The carbonized liquid contained in the carbonator tank is also used to supply a python with carbonized liquid. This application is mainly used for the post-mix operation, involving fountains which have at least one inlet for carbonized liquids and at least one inlet for beverage syrups. The two liquids are mixed during the pouring process, thus producing a preferably carbon dioxide-containing refreshment beverage. The high pressure that exists in the carbonator, which is in turn produced by the pressure increase of the pump, is used to feed the python or to operate fountains with the predetermined pressure of the carbonator. This high pressure is also needed to open, for example, three fountains simultaneously. This could not be attained, for example, with the 3 bar main water supply. The same principle applies also to the closed-loop carbonator system.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved device and method for carbonizing a liquid, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is able to specifically perform carbonization inside one pump housing or several pump housings during operation of the pump.